Welcome to Image Coach and Health Coach International’s weekly E-zine, developed specifically for people who want to create happier and healthier lives for themselves. Please feel free to forward this issue to friends, family and associates!

Dear Friend.

Are you suffering from back pain? If you are not, then, congratulations, you belong to the minority 10% of the population who is free from this ailment… for the time being, at least. I don’t mean to alarm you but it is a fact that back pain is the number two reason people visit the doctor, second only to upper-respiratory infections. In fact, lower back pain is said to account for more sick leave and disability than any other medical condition. I used to suffer from lower back pain myself so I know how debilitating and all-consuming it can be. Once it comes, you can hardly concentrate on anything else. Whoever said: “Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” obviously was not talking about back pain.

The causes of lower back pain are varied. A traumatic event may result in either muscular pain or a vertebral fracture. Most cases of lower back pain are due to skeletal degeneration or musculoligamentous injury. Lower back pain could also be due to any of the following conditions:

Apophyseal osteoarthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis

Osteoporosis (Osteoporotic fractures)

Degenerative discs

Spinal disc herniation (slipped disc)

Bone tumors (primary or metastatic)

Intradural Spinal tumors

Infection - epidural abscess or osteomyelitis

Fortunately, you can choose not to suffer in silence – there are steps you can take to prevent back pain and if you already have chronic back pain, to at least lessen the pain

THIS WEEK'S LESSON:Prevention is far less painful than cure. Don’t wait till you are lying in bed, crying from pain, before you follow the simple disciplines of a healthy lifestyle.

The other solution lies in what we eat everyday. Maintain proper nutrition and a healthy diet to reduce and prevent excessive weight, especially weight around the waistline that taxes lower back muscles. Make sure your diet has sufficient daily intake of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D to help promote new bone growth.

What has also helped me a lot is taking bovine colostrum everyday. Colostrum is literally ‘nature’s first food’. It is the pre-milk fluid that all female mammals give their newborn baby in the first few days after birth. It is a highly complex cocktail of vital immune and growth factors to help increase the natural immunity of a baby and to protect it against the diseases it will be exposed to, and assists with the development of the newborn into a strong and healthy adult.

Besides the numerous benefits of colostrum, it has been found to help in bone regeneration - it regenerates osteoclasts that break down old bone, and osteoblasts which form new bone. The lactoferrin in colostrum has the ability to stimulate bone forming cells while the growth factors present, especially insulin-like growth factor-I (IgF-I, can stimulate bone regeneration.

The colostrum I take is called Alpha Lipid Lifeline; besides colostrum taken from pasture-fed cows from New Zealand, it has the added benefit of 100% RDA of vitamins and minerals and 1000 milligrams of calcium which further enhance bone building.

I had one client in his early 30s who was suffering from a prolapsed invertebral disc. For weeks, he was in great pain and could hardly get up from bed. He had to go on medical leave for a long period of time, which affected his career. His doctors told him there was nothing much they could do about the pain except give him pain-killers as an operation was not advisable. We recommended him Alpha Lipid Lifeline, and after two weeks on it, he told us he felt much better. Now he can move around easily, and when the pain does come, it’s more tolerable.
For more details and to order Alpha Lipid Lifeline, click here.

“We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.”~ Jim Rohn

THIS WEEK'S ACTION STEP

Although Jim Rohn, in his quote above, was probably referring to emotional rather than physical pain, it can very well apply to both. I have written on simple disciplines time and again, because I know if I can get the message across, it could make the difference between life and death, literally.

So, here are some simple disciplines you could observe to keep that back pain away:

Keep a good posture. Don’t slouch when standing or sitting. When standing, keep your weight balanced on your feet.

At home or work, make sure your work surface is at a comfortable height for you so you don’t have to bend too much or slouch.

Sit in a chair with good lumbar support. Keep your back straight and shoulders back. A small pillow placed behind the small of your back can provide some lumbar support.

If you must sit for a long period of time, rest your feet on a low stool. Switch sitting positions often and periodically walk around the office or gently stretch muscles to relieve tension.

Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes.

Sleep on your side to reduce any curve in your spine. Opt for a firm mattress to sleep on.

Do regular exercise, with proper stretching to help you maintain flexibility.

Be careful not to lift heavy objects using your back. Lift with your knees, pull in your stomach muscles, and keep your head down and in line with your straight back. Keep the object close to your body and don’t twist when lifting.

If you smoke, it’s time you quit. Smoking reduces blood flow to the lower spine and causes the spinal discs to degenerate.

If you need help to work out a healthy lifestyle program that is suitable for you specifically, drop us an email at coach@health-coach-international.com, giving us your name, age, race and any health conditions.